1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to guard rails for streets, intersections, major highways, dangerous curves, and to dock fenders at loading and marine docks, as well as to a system for disposing of discarded motor vehicle rubber tires.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tire disposal has long been a very serious environmental problem. Due to the fact that tire rubber degrades only negligibly in biologically balanced environments, old tires are usually stored in large landfills or they are utilized in barriers and the like.
Various uses have been heretofore proposed. For instance, beach erosion barriers as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,579 to Burns make use of sections cut from tires and anchored into concrete blocks. Another breakwater barrier, which is also utilized as a highway safety barrier, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,934,540 and 4,186,913 to
Bruner et al. Elastic impact absorbing devices formed of stacks of tires are known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,951,384 to Hildreth, Jr. and 3,848,853 to Way et al.
Dock bumbers which may utilize old tires cut into strips are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,338,206 to Motter and 3,165,305 to Pfleger.
All of the above devices have in common that they are either virtually stiff upon perpendicular impact or that they do not give in a parallel direction, relative to the barrier wall formed thereby. In other words, at most impact force components which are oriented perpendicularly to the barrier are absorbed. Force components parallel to the wall are not absorbed.